An Interview with IFBB Pro Asher Prior

What’s the most memorable moment in your career?

It would have to be winning my IFBB Figure Pro status in 2013. A dream that I had since 2007, a goal that I worked towards since 2010. To this day, I still think about not just that moment, but the years of work and all the people who helped me get there.

Whats your earliest memory of bodybuilding?

I have always been into sport and fitness. When I was about 15 I got a book that was about women lifting weights, it changed the way I looked at fitness and training, not just for performance, but aesthetics as well. The women in this book were muscular and shapely, a far cry from the stick think models I had been idolizing. Even though it was about ten years before I actually started into real bodybuilding, it certainly planted the thought in my mind.

Why do you like bodybuilding so much, what drives you to keep moving forward?

Living the lifestyle of a bodybuilder, or being fit and healthy in general, radiates into other areas of your life in a positive way, be it more energy to play with your kids or being more organized at work. For this reason I will always be a bodybuilder. I am motivated by personal drive to be my best as a person and a competitor and this sport is all about progression in these areas. We are only limited by own self-limiting thoughts. I always said that I would be an IFBB pro, people laughed I’m sure, but never did I doubt my own ability and potential. Life is about learning and progression, as long as bodybuilding fulfills its purpose as a vehicle for me I will keep driving.

Is there any down side to being an IFBB Pro?

No! Not on a personal level. On a competitive level, there are not many competitions that are local, however I believe that in the coming years this will improve. But really the answer is No!

Who do you look up to, who are your icons or role models?

I am a big fan of Amanda Doherty, she has been a part of bodybuilding for 20 years. The woman is positive, down to earth and uber-dedicated to family and fitness which is a challenge in a sport that is very selfish. If I’m ever feeling a lull – and I do from time to time – I look to her.

What are your goals in bodybuilding for the future?

I hope to represent Australia and compete all over the world for as long as the sport excites me and it suits my family.

As a hard working mum, how do you juggle your life as a professional athlete, with your family life?

There are times when it all seems too much, but I do my best and try not to beat myself up when I get it wrong. Being organized is the first step in making it all work and knowing when to switch off and just be mum or wife is very important as well.

What advice would you give to young athletes starting out in the sport?

Bodybuilding is not an instantly satisfying game, nor a game for the unorganized or undisciplined. It’s hard, it’s subjective and it’s a lifestyle, not a weekend pursuit. Enter the sport not for the glory, but for the personal challenge of being the best person you can be and then better that every time you step in the gym or step on the stage.